Current Final

Tag: Fact Check

  • Fact check: Did Balochistan govt blacklist Salman Khan after Balochistan remarks?

    Fact check: Did Balochistan govt blacklist Salman Khan after Balochistan remarks?

    A social media storm erupted over the weekend after claims surfaced online stating that the government of Balochistan had declared Bollywood superstar Salman Khan a “terrorist” and placed him on the country’s “terror watchlist” following his recent remarks about Balochistan at the Joy Forum 2025 in Riyadh.

    However, the alleged document circulating online is fabricated.

    The controversy began after a video clip from the Riyadh event went viral in which Salman Khan, sharing the stage with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, spoke about the wide popularity of Indian films in the Middle East. The actor said, “If you release a Hindi movie here (in Saudi Arabia), it will be a superhit. Even Tamil, Telugu, or Malayalam films earn a lot because people from different countries live here — there are people from Balochistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, all working here.”

    The remark in which Balochistan and Pakistan were mentioned separately, drew criticism from some Pakistani social media users, who accused Khan of implying that Balochistan was a separate entity from Pakistan. Soon after, an image of an alleged government notification dated October 16, 2025, began circulating online, claiming that Salman Khan had been added to Pakistan’s Fourth Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act as an “Azad Balochistan Facilitator.”

    However, no official statement or confirmation of such an action has come from the Balochistan government, Interior Ministry, or any verified Pakistani government accounts. None of Pakistan’s major newspapers or official websites have reported any such move and there are no traces of such notification on official website of Balochistan government.

    Several Indian media outlets have also confirmed that the viral document lacks essential features of an official Pakistani notification — such as proper letterhead, reference number, official seals, or verified signatures. Moreover, the document carries factual inconsistencies, including a date mismatch that suggests it was created before Salman Khan even made the alleged remark on October 7.

    According to Indian media outlets, the document was first shared by a social media user named Nasir Azeem who had claimed this was an official notification from Balochistaan government, which actually is not true.

    In conclusion, the claim that the Balochistan government has declared Salman Khan a terrorist or blacklisted him is completely false. The viral “official” document is doctored, and no such order exists in any government record.

  • Fact Check: Did Pakistani, Indian jets patrol over Kashmir region last night?

    Fact Check: Did Pakistani, Indian jets patrol over Kashmir region last night?

    Claims have been circulating online since yesterday that the airspace over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) was closed, while Indian and Pakistani fighter jets were patrolling over the Kashmir region on Monday night.

    An Indian social media account on X (formerly Twitter) posted, “Kuch bada hone wala hai (something big is about to happen). Massive air activity over Srinagar for the last 30 minutes. Traffic lockdown … Amarnath Yatra suspended. High alert in Kashmir…”

    Another account named The Jaipur Dialogue, citing locals, claimed that continuous aerial movement was happening in the Kashmir region. “Massive air activity reported over Srinagar, Kashmir in the last 30 minutes. Residents report continuous aerial movement, sources confirm unusual military air presence,” the post read on X on Monday.

    Similar claims can be seen here, here, here and here.

    Fact Check

    The Current conducted a thorough investigation and research into the claims, unearthing that it originated from the Indian news outlet The Economic Times, which reported on its live feed on Monday at 11:08 pm that “Massive air activity for the last half an hour in Srinagar”.

    Following the report, several netizens initiated sharing pictures of jets with the same caption: “Airspace over Jammu and Kashmir region closed, Indian and Pakistani jets have started patrolling.”

    With both Islamabad and New Delhi yet to comment on the claim, journalist and TV host Ajmal Jami, citing military sources, took to X on Monday, writing, “All reports of Indian Airspace closed over IIOJK and air activity being spread by Indian accounts is fake. Everything is normal (sic).”

    Verdict: The claim that Indian Airspace was closed over occupied Kashmir and Pakistani and Indian jets were patrolling over the region is false. There is no official confirmation from either side.

  • FACT CHECK: Is Pakistan heading towards a currency crisis?

    FACT CHECK: Is Pakistan heading towards a currency crisis?

    A social media post on X (formerly Twitter) by a private media outlet regarding “Pakistan’s currency crisis” has been gaining traction, outlining the country’s precarious economic position. Data, however, indicates that the entire post is riddled with misinformation and statistical inconsistencies. 

    According to the outlet, Pakistan’s total external debt is $219 billion when “hidden exposures” are included. Moreover, the post claims that external debt amounts to 73 percent of Pakistan’s GDP, as opposed to the “official” figure of 42 percent. The language suggests that the authorities are actively attempting to conceal the true extent of the country’s foreign debt by manipulating data.

    However, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) or the Finance Division has never denied the aforementioned foreign debt-to-GDP ratio. In fact, the only instance of data manipulation appears to be by the media outlet itself, as the 42 percent figure actually refers to the domestic debt-to-GDP ratio.

    The media outlet’s post also claims that the SBP has sold $5 billion to defend the rupee from depreciation pressures in 2024 and that the SBP spends “$5+ billion annually” to artificially stabilise the value of the rupee. However, a press release from the SBP from earlier this month indicates an increase in year-on-year (YoY) reserves of $5.12 billion.

    The outlet’s post mentions how Pakistan is running a trade deficit against its trading partners, a situation akin to spending $32,000 while only earning $58,400. However, the post does not mention the large $2.1 billion current account surplus Pakistan has achieved during fiscal year (FY) 2024-25.

    For reference, the current account value is determined by adding up the trade balance, Net Income from Abroad, and Net Current Transfers (remittances). A positive current account value means that inflows exceed outflows. Since Pakistan has posted a current account surplus, this rubbishes the outlet’s example stated above.

    The outlet’s post garnered over 257 thousand views, misleading many readers. However, netizens outlined how the statistics were incorrect and that it was a clear attempt to make Pakistan’s economic condition look much worse than it actually was. 

    An X user commented: “This entire thread is outright lie and total fabrication”. Another user highlighted that the post was “Data manipulation at its peak”. 

    It merits a mention that running the outlet’s entire thread through multiple AI detectors yields an average AI probability score of 79 percent, which may explain the inconsistencies in the data

  • Fact Check: Viral video claiming Israeli guest fled studio during Iran missile attack is AI-generated

    Fact Check: Viral video claiming Israeli guest fled studio during Iran missile attack is AI-generated

    A video circulating on social media supposedly shows guests on an Israeli talk show fleeing the studio as sirens went off during an alleged Iranian missile attack.

    Several leading Urdu news outlets reported the incident as real. Social media users also shared the video widely.

    However, is the video real?

    The video was initially shared on مجنون إكس account X on Wednesday, June 18, with a caption that read: “There was a discussion on Israeli TV about teaching Iran the worst lesson, when sirens went off due to Iranian missiles and the four left the program and ran away (sic).”

    Investigation

    The Current investigated the video widely shared on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter).

    A close review of the nine-second video reveals that it was generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI), and is therefore fake.

    The Current noticed a number of unusual elements and inconsistencies in the video. For instance, two female guests react even before the sirens actually go off.

    A closer examination also shows that one guest’s lip movements do not match the audio, a common sign of AI-generated content. The way the guests run also appears unnatural and unrealistic.

    Conclusion: The video is fake and was created using AI tools.

    Fact Check: Viral video of Donald Trump saying ‘Pakistan will destroy Israel if Iran attacked again’ is FAKE

  • FACT CHECK: India hit Lahore with a Kamikaze drone?

    FACT CHECK: India hit Lahore with a Kamikaze drone?

    A video doing the rounds on internet has been claimed to show a massive explosion caused by a Kamikaze drone attack by India in Lahore.

    A social media account shared the video linking it to India’s Thursday attacks across Pakistan.

    “Drone attacks in Lahore. India hits the Walton Airport in Lahore,” wrote another Indian user.

    However, a fact check went on to show that while a military installment was hit in Lahore, the video in question was months old and previously shared with the claim that it was from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

    The video can also be seen on the YouTube channel “OP Info” with the title “Frost:Never”, which was uploaded a week ago.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan’s armed forces have taken down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones sent into the country by India since last night, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement issued on Thursday.

    “The Pakistan Army, using their soft-kill (technical) and hard-kill (weapons) skills fully, have shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones,” the ISPR said.

    Referring to Pakistan’s response to Indian strikes, the ISPR press release said: “After the destruction of its five modern jets, drones and several posts, as well as soldier deaths, India is attacking Pakistan using these Israeli-made Harop drones in panic.”

    “This cowardly attack is a sign of India’s worry and panic,” the statement added.

    “The debris of these Israeli-made Harop drones is being collected from various locations across Pakistan,” the military’s media wing said. It asserted that the Pakistan Army was “giving a befitting reply to the enemy and crushing all its nefarious designs”.

  • Fact-check: Is PM Shehbaz Sharif’s UN address the most watched on the UN’s YouTube channel?

    Fact-check: Is PM Shehbaz Sharif’s UN address the most watched on the UN’s YouTube channel?

    The government on Monday, shared a picture on the Instagram page ‘govtofpakistan’ which claimed that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) speech got more views than any world leader on the official YouTube channel of the UN.

    The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that PM Shehbaz Sharif’s speech was watched by 137,000 viewers on the UN’s official channel.

    Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Federal Minister of Broadcast and Information Attaullah Tarar, while declaring the success of Pakistan’s foreign policy, said, “Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address was most watched at the UN General Assembly.”

    Is this claim true?

    On the YouTube channel of the United Nations, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s address has not remained on top in terms of views, rejecting the Pakistan government’s claims of the most-watched premier at the UN.

    Shehbaz has 179,000 views on the UN’s official YouTube channel so far since it was uploaded on September 28.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu was watched 212,000 times and remains on top in terms of views on YouTube.

    The President of the United States (US), Joe Biden, has a total of 110,000 views so far, since it was uploaded on September 22.

    President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian’s address has 152,000 views on the UN’s YouTube official channel.


    Furthermore, the address of the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, has 58,000 views.

    At the time the claim was made, Netanyahu had more views than Shehbaz on the UN’s YouTube channel. Journalist Mansoor Ali Khan also revealed this information on his YouTube channel.

  • False claims link bailed Mahal Baloch to BLA suicide attacker

    False claims link bailed Mahal Baloch to BLA suicide attacker

    A series of violent attacks took place on August 26 in Balochistan, including a suicide attack by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Lasbela.

    The BLA identified one of the bombers as Mahal Baloch in the attack on the Frontier Corps (FC) camp.

    On social media, people linked her to a recently bailed woman named Mahal Baloch, who was alleged to have possessed a suicide jacket.

    Geo Fact Check has reported that these claims are false.

    The confusion stems from two Baloch women having the same names.

    Imran Baloch, the lawyer for the bailed Mahal Baloch, told Geo Fact Check that his client is from Turbat and is alive, while the suicide attacker was from Gwadar, a coastal area of Balochistan.

    Baloch, a 30-year-old widow with two children, was charged with carrying a suicide jacket, which she vehemently denied, according to Imran.

    On May 10, 2023, she was granted bail by the two-judge bench of the Balochistan High Court.

    Moreover, the lawyer has revealed pictures of the two women, proving that they have no resemblance and are, thus two different people.

    On August 26, the Majeed Brigade, a faction of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), carried out multiple attacks, resulting in seventy-three casualties.

  • Fact Check: Viral video of Mahrang Baloch’s arrest actually from 2020

    Fact Check: Viral video of Mahrang Baloch’s arrest actually from 2020

    A video circulated on social media on Thursday shows Baloch activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch being dragged into a police van, suggesting that she has been arrested.

    Dawn.com, however, conducted a fact check and confirmed that the video is from 2020.

    This spread of misinformation coincides with renewed unrest in Balochistan following protests by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Gwadar on July 28. The protests were against human rights violations and exploiting the province’s resources. The demonstrations led to arrests and violent clashes with security forces.

    Since then, the arrest of prominent leaders has intensified the protests.

    Currently, the BYC has signed an agreement with the provincial government to end the protest, as their demands, including the release of all those arrested, have been met.

  • Pakistani bank statements unacceptable for UK visa? Fake news!

    Pakistani bank statements unacceptable for UK visa? Fake news!

    A letter circulating all over social media claiming that the United Kingdom will no longer accept financial documents from major Pakistani banks for visa or immigration applications and that English language tests, including IELTS, will be considered unacceptable for Pakistani students has turned out to be fake.


    In the letter allegedly issued by UK Visas and Immigration, it was stated that certain Pakistani banks’ statements would no longer be acceptable for UK visa applications.


    The letter then goes on to name nine major banks in the country.


    It also listed English language tests allegedly rejected by the UK, including Oxford ELLT Digital, IELTS Life Skills, and Pearson Test of English.

    The British High Commission in Islamabad debunked the letter as false, clarifying that no such restrictions have been imposed.


    The official statement by the Commission was posted on X (Twitter) account and confirmed by the Geo Fact Check team via mail. It stated that the Commission is aware of a “fake document being shared pretending to be from UK Visa and Immigration.”

  • FACTCHECK: Did Umair Jaswal really say, ‘Mera aur Khawar Maneka ka gham aik jaisa hai’?

    FACTCHECK: Did Umair Jaswal really say, ‘Mera aur Khawar Maneka ka gham aik jaisa hai’?

    On Sunday, Neo News posted an article with the title “Mera aur Khawar Maneka ka gham aik jaisa hai: Umair Jaswal”. Later, they deleted the article as singer-cum-actor Umair Jaswal explained that a fake X account with his identity appeared on social media after his former wife Sana Javed married cricketer Shoaib Malik.

    Umair Jaswal also confirmed in his Instagram stories that multiple posts were going viral on social media from unverified and fake accounts.

    The tweets from a fake account with the name @ImairJs were going viral. In one of the tweets, the poster, pretending to be Jaswal, compared himself with the former husband of former first lady Khawar Maneka.

    The famous singer also confirmed that his X (previously Twitter) account has a different user name, @umairjaswal.

    On Saturday, famous cricketer Shoaib Malik posted photos of his wedding with actress Sana Javed.

    Since Sana and Malik had worked together in the past, when the cricketer acted as a model and walked on the ramps, fans believed the earlier images were from one of those photoshoots. However, confirmation of their marriage came from family sources and Malik’s social media post.